Dark Cries
Prologue It was dark in the nursery. Four kits, just born, snuggled up against their mother's belly. A black kit with large gray eyes peered out from the two kits who were his sisters. He had woken from the snapping of a twig. "Hello?" He asked. Nothing. Then a meow sounded from the shadows and a black Tom with huge white paws emerged. Immediately a cat burst out of a Bush and leapt onto him. "No kit-stealing tonight!" She screeched. All four kits wailed as the noise got louder and more cats joined the fight. In the midst of it, the black Tom came back, snatched the black kit, and ran, leaving little his sisters, Windykit, Stormykit, and Shallowkit. Chapter 1 "Windykit! Wake up!" Windykit could hear he sister's squealing in her ear. "We're going to be apprentices!" Windykit opened her eyes. "You say that everyday Stormykit. Let me get some rest." Windykit said. "Yes Stormykit, let Windykit get some rest. You're only 3 moons old." Their mother, Whitetail, mewed to Stormykit. "Why did you wake me up? I was chasing butterflies!" The other sister, Shallowkit, woke up. Three of Whitetail's and Onestar's kits were she-cats. "Go play with some other cat, Stormykit. Your littermates are sleeping." Whitetail said. "I'll go play with Heatherpaw then!" she yowled, the went out of the nursery. Windykit, unable to fall back asleep, stood up. "I'm going to go play too." she announced. "Have fun, and stay out of every cat's way. Especially the Warriors. they're busy." Whitetail mewed. Windykit bounded out of the nursery and into the WindClan camp. She saw Owlwhisker and Onestar sharing a rabbit near the fresh-kill pile, Heatherpaw and Sormykit playing near the apprentice's den, a hunting patrol returning with fresh-kill in their jaws, and, as usual, Crowfeather and Breezepaw staying as for away from each other as they could. Onestar stood up and started padding towards his den, but before he could, Windykit raced towards him and pounced on his tail. "Got you!" she mewed. "Hey Onestar, you have a kit on your tail!" Barkface, the WindClan medicine cat said. A purr rumbled from Onestar. "Hey! I didn't notice you there! You're really quiet." Onestar said to Windykit. She bounded in front of him. "Do you think i'm going to be a good warrior?" Windykit asked. "Positive." Onestar said. " You should get back to your mother. it's getting dark" Onestar said. Obediently, Windykit padded to the nursery. But when she got in, a dark, stormy shape flew towards her. "Stormykit! get off me!" Windykit yelped. "Sorry! I thought you were a ThunderClan intruder. Heatherpaw told me we weren't on the friendly side right now." Windykit got up and laid down in her mother's nest. She wrapped her tail over her nose, and fell asleep. "Intruders!" Ashfoot's alarm rang clear through the camp. Windykit felt her mother and Stormykit spring up from the nest. "Stay here." Whitetail commanded. All three kits were frightened out of their pelts. Windykit's gray fur was lifting from fear. "What in StarClan is happening?" She heard Shallowkit mutter sleepily. Windykit heard Onestar's mew ring through camp. "Attack!" A hiss of annoyance rang from near the nursery. "Prey-Stealers!" Ashfoot's voice came around. "We have never stolen you prey, Brambleclaw. You and Firestar have bees in your brains if you think we have!" She yelled. Firestar! ThunderClan was attacking the WindClan camp! Windykit bounded out of her nest and stood strait in front of the nursery. She figured that she would guard the nursery. Then a huge fiery warrior came up to her. "What do you want?" She demanded, trying to act brave. He peered down at her. "A bit small to be an apprentice, aren't you?" He asked. Windykit shied away. "I'm not an apprentice. My name is Windykit, and you're never getting past me when I'm protecting my littermates!" She snarled. The warrior nodded. "That explains alot. My name is Lionblaze. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you or your littermates." He said. Then he backed away and started to pry another gray warrior off Ashfoot. She was beaten and started to limp towards Barkface's den. Windykit hurried to help her. "Thank you." She breathed as she leaned against her and Whitetail. "Windykit! I told you to stay in the nursery!" Her mother yowled. " I'm sorry Whitetail." Windykit mewed. "I just wanted to help. I wanted to protect the nursery!" She exclaimed when they reached the medicine cat's den. "She'll make a great warrior." Barkface had heard her mews. "Yes, but she has trouble following orders." Whitetail said. "Now get back to the nursery now!" She yowled. Windykit padded back, but was blocked by Onestar and Firestar battling with each other. Firestar stepped on her tail, which made her yowl in agony. Surprised the two battling leaders stopped and looked down. "Windykit! Are you okay?" Onestar mewed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to step on your tail!" Firestar exclaimed. Windykit and Onestar hissed in harmony. "You'll pay for that..." Onestar hissed. Instantly he launched himself at the ThunderClan leader. The two cats continued their battle as Windykit raced through, faster than wind. When she came back, she say only one littermate waiting for her. "Where's Stormykit?" She asked. Shallowkit shrugged but didn't reply. Just then Kestrelpaw came in with Stormykit in his jaws. "Put me down!" She commanded. Kestrelpaw looked at Windykit and beckoned her to come closer. "Windykit, there is something I have to tell you." He said. Windykit nodded eagerly. "There will be one warrior, fast as wind rustling the leaves, A warrior who will one day be a savior to those below the stars." He said. Windykit frowned. "Is that a prophecy?" She asked. Kestrelpaw nodded. "You will soon understand." Then he ran off. "There will be one warrior, fast as wind rustling the leaves, A warrior that will one day be a savior to those below the stars..." Did that mean her? A yowl for help cried from Stormykit. "Windykit! Help me!" She screamed. Brambleclaw, the ThunderClan deputy was picking her up by the scruff and carrying her out of the nursery. Stormykit gave one last wail to her sister before she disappeared. Windykit, frozen to the ground for her kidnapped littermate that she had not been able to save. Swallowing her grief, she listened to Firestar's yowl of retreat. She hoped that one of the WindClan cats had retrieved her lost sister. But when Whitetail came in, she lost hope. "Where's Stormykit?" Her mother asked. Shallowkit let out a fearful wail. "She as a kidnapped! She might be dead! Help her!" She wailed. "No... She couldn't have been taken..." Whitetail yowled. "My kit is gone! Stormykit is missing!" She wailed. Immediately, almost every cat in the clan gathered to see. Windykit told her father her story. Then he bounded up the highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a clan meeting!" He yowled. The clan gathered to hear their leader. "My daughter, Stormykit, has been kidnapped by ThunderClan cats. I would like to have you all know that she is most likely not going to be hurt, for she is only a kit. Clan meeting over." He said. Whitetail padded up to him. "Won't you do anything about this?" She asked. Onestar shook his head. "There's nothing we can do. If we attack, we will lose. If we sneak in, again we will lose. We're too hungry, weak, and inexperienced with our apprentices. There is nothing we can do." He replied. Then he looked at Windykit and Shallowkit, who were standing in front of the nursery, wailing for their lost sister. He padded over to them and wrapped his tail around his two young daughters. "I am so sorry that she is gone." He said. "But once you two are warrior's, I will let you two go and take back." He comforted the kits. Then he stood up and left, a shadow of lost hope in his eyes. Windykit's dream took place at the moonpool. Four cats were gathered around it. A silver she-cat with light blue eyes, a dark gray tabby she-cat with stormy blue eyes, a brown she-cat with emerald green eyes, and a black Tom with large gray eyes. She saw that the tabby and the Brown she-cats were her sisters. And the silver one was her. But the black one... She didn't know. Then her dream disappeared and she was thrown into blackness. Windykit woke up, surprised to find herself snuggled safely between her mother and Shallowkit. She stood up and snuck a peak outside. The sun was barely rising above the treetops. Only Onestar was awake and running. He lazily drifted to the fresh-kill pile to eat. Windykit followed. As her father chose a rabbit to eat, Windykit chose a small mouse. She carried it over to a sunny spot in front of the nursery. As soon as she started to eat, a shriek came from the nursery. Her mother came crashing out, frantically running towards Onestar. "Windykit! She's gone!" She yelled. Alarmed, Onestar looked around. Then his gaze rested on her. "She's tonight in front of the nursery, Whitetail. She's fine." He mewed soothingly. Windykit's mother whipped her head around. She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank StarClan you're safe. I thought Thunder- well, I just care that you're safe, that's all." She meowed. Windykit could tell that she was about to say ThunderClan. "I'm fine Whitetail." Windykit mewed. A mew rang from the nursery from what sounded like Shallowkit. Just then Shallowkit stumbled sleepily from it. She shook her head and grabbed a small fieldmouse, which she took to Onestar's spot before eating it. Windykit, done with her meal, decided to look for prey that had gotten into camp. she look behind the apprentices den, and caught the eye of a cat looking through a hole in the den wall. "Heatherpaw!" Windykit exclaimed, then silenced as Heatherpaw's eyes narrowed and she hissed. "I'm sleeping you know!" she hissed. Windykit backed up and went into the center of camp. She padded towards the Medicine den, which was for some reason her favorite place in the camp, and peered inside. Barkface was sitting next to Kestrelpaw, who was sorting herbs. "Hi! Can i help too?" She asked. Barkface answered. "Sure, Windykit." He mewed, then started to tell her what herbs were which, and what they did, and where to find them. Soon Windykit's Head was full of Horsetail, Catmint, Juniper, and other herbs. She liked knowing all this, and also liked to help tend to other cats wounds by passing the herbs. "I want to be a medicine cat" She told Kestrelflight one afternoon, a day after Kestrelflight got his new name. "Just like you" Kestrelflight laughed and told her, "One day, little one. One day..." Chapter 2 Windykit was outside, sunning herself, with Shallowkit next to her. The afternoon sun felt good on her side. Windykit was 4 moons old now, with not a thought of being a Warrior Apprentice. Barkface was growing old and was sick, and Kestrelflight said he might die. The Clan was anxious, and Windykit was frightened. but she also knew that it could mean that she could be a Medicine Cat apprentice. When the sun set, Windykit and Shallowkit went into the nursery and slept. "Help! Please help me!" Shallowkit's cry sounded through the dark, and when Windykit sprang up, she saw her Emerald green eyes glinting with fear, held up in the air. her brown fur was reflected in the moonlight, and another pair of eyes and slick, glossy fur was also shown. RiverClan! WindClan cats, woken by Shallowkit, Leapt out of the Warriors Den.